Video captures 'Banana Pants Bandit' stealing San Jose mayoral campaign sign

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Residents of San Jose's Willow Glen neighborhood are shaking their heads over a woman caught on video stealing a campaign yard sign. However, their dismay is not over the theft, but that the woman was wearing bright yellow pants. Now she's been dubbed the "banana pants bandit."

The one person who should be upset about what this video shows isn't. It was mayoral candidate Sam Liccardo whose campaign sign was snatched off the lawn of a supporter.

"It's fair to say I won't be forming any banana pants bandit task force, and I don't intend to go to the district attorney's office with this," Liccardo said.

The "banana pants bandit" -- that's the moniker everyone's using to describe the culprit. While the woman's face isn't clearly visible, there's no mistaking the bright colored pants. Maybe it wasn't the best choice for a low profile. That has many chuckling.

"That's kind of embarrassing. I'm sure she's sitting at home going, 'Oh my gosh,'" San Jose resident Pam Hedblad said. When asked if it was a fashion faux pas, she said, "Yes, definitely."

The sign was snatched off the lawn of Katie Zazueta's home and captured on the family's security camera. She told ABC7 News, "We were kind of blown away. All of us went, 'Oh my God. Someone actually did take the sign,' and 'Oh my gosh, she's wearing yellow pants! How could she be doing that in broad daylight?'"

Sign stealing is not uncommon in San Jose elections.

"I'm not sure that anyone who's been involved in these sign wars has really figured out yet that signs don't actually vote, people do. So I don't get too worked up about it, but I do think this is beneath us," Liccardo said.

Liccardo's opponent in the mayor's race is county Supervisor Dave Cortese. A call to his campaign manager to request an interview was not returned.

For now, the banana pants bandit's identity is still a mystery.

"Somebody has to be pretty dumb in today's day and age to do this, especially with all the modern video equipment going on," neighbor Dick Shanley said.

It's interesting to note in the Willow Glen neighborhood, an American flag can go untouched, while a political sign on the lawn gets taken. Perhaps the lesson learned from this is that a sign inside is safer than one outside.